A must see in Siwa Oasis is the annual "Siyaha" Festival every October. It is the most important event that will help the visitor understand the local culture.
For three days around October's full moon, Mount Dakrur is the scene of the Siyaha festival which is called Asihaite in the local Berber language. Thousands of Siwans gather to celebrate the date harvest, renewing friendships and settling any quarrels that broke out over the previous year. During the festival all Siwans, no matter what their financial or social standing, eat together at a huge feast after the noon prayer each day. The festival is intertwined with Sufism, and each evening, hundreds of men join together in a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness. Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt 17 October 2019.
For three days around October's full moon, Mount Dakrur is the scene of the Siyaha festival which is called Asihaite in the local Berber language. Thousands of Siwans gather to celebrate the date harvest, renewing friendships and settling any quarrels that broke out over the previous year. During the festival all Siwans, no matter what their financial or social standing, eat together at a huge feast after the noon prayer each day. The festival is intertwined with Sufism, and each evening, hundreds of men join together in a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness. Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt 17 October 2019.
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| A Siwan man serves the food during a huge feast, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Siwans perform prayers on the Dakrour mountain, duriing the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Siwan people prepare the food in cauldrons for a huge feast, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Siwan people prepare the food in cauldrons for a huge feast, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Hundreds of Siwan people form a circle (zikr) of peace and forgiveness, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Siwan people prepare the food in cauldrons for a huge feast, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Siwans perform prayers on the Dakrour mountain, duriing the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Siwan people organize a huge feast serving the food in hundreds of metal dishes, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Siwan people prepare the food in cauldrons for a huge feast, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| Siwan people portion the food for a huge feast, marking the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships in Siwa Oasis. |
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| Siwan children pose wearing the colorful traditional Berber costumes of Siwa Oasis during a huge feast of the the annual "Siyaha" festival. |
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| Siwans perform prayers on the Dakrour mountain, duriing the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships. |
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| A Siwan man wearing the traditional Berber thawb and scarf on his head attends the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships in Siwa Oasis. |
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| A big Siwan family on a tuk-tuk and hundreds of Siwan people attend the annual "Siyaha" celebrations of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships in Siwa Oasis. |
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| Siwan children pose wearing the colorful traditional Berber costumes of Siwa Oasis during a huge feast of the the annual "Siyaha" festival. |
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| Children play at a local amusement park near the Dakrour mountain, during the annual "Siyaha" peace Festival of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships in Siwa Oasis. |
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| Children play at a local amusement park near the Dakrour mountain, during the annual "Siyaha" peace Festival of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships in Siwa Oasis. |
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| Children play at a local amusement park near the Dakrour mountain, during the annual "Siyaha" peace Festival of the date harvest and the renewal of friendships in Siwa Oasis. |
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| Siwan people holding a giant green flag with Arabic writings, march ahead of the Shali fortress marking the end of the annual "Siyaha" peace Festival in Siwa Oasis |
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| Siwan female students parade ahead of the Shali fortress wearing the Berber colorful traditional women's costumes of Siwa Oasis. The parade takes place to celebrate the annual "Siyaha" festival and the date palm harvest. The specific traditional women's costume is also worn by the bride and the female guests, on the 3rd and the 7th day of the traditional wedding ceremony. As the dress code of Siwa rules women over 15 years old, to be veiled in public, it is understood that this costume is not allowed in public except for the young students. Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt, 17 October 2019. |
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| Siwan male students perform stilts made of palm trees wearing the traditional Berber costume of Siwa Oasis. The parade takes place to celebrate the annual "Siyaha" peace festival and the date palm harvest. Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt, 17 October 2019. |
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| Siwan female students parade ahead of the Shali fortress wearing the Berber colorful traditional women's costumes of Siwa Oasis. The parade takes place to celebrate the annual "Siyaha" festival and the date palm harvest. The specific traditional women's costume is also worn by the bride and the female guests, on the 3rd and the 7th day of the traditional wedding ceremony. As the dress code of Siwa rules women over 15 years old, to be veiled in public, it is understood that this costume is not allowed in public except for the young students. Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt, 17 October 2019. |
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| Siwan people holding a giant green flag with Arabic writings, march ahead of the Shali fortress marking the end of the annual "Siyaha" peace Festival in Siwa Oasis |
